Mool (lineage)

Mool (Maithili: मूल) refers to the root or origin of a group of Maithil Brahmins in the Mithila region of the Indian subcontinent. It indicates the ancestral lineage and the original place of dwelling of a particular clan. It signifies a common ancestral origin, often tracing back to a shared forefather. It is a fundamental genealogical parameter recorded in the Panji system of the Maithil Brahmin in Mithila. Panjikars are the authorised persons responsible for keeping the records of the mools of each individual in the region.^[1][2][3][4]

Mool

मूल
Ancestral lineage of Maithil Brahmin
Classification
Geneological identity in Gotra
Mithila Region
Root origin	Viji Purush
Institution
Maintained by	Panjikars
Recorded in	Panjis

Classification

The mool in the Maithil Brahmins is further classified into three classes of hierarchical orders. They are Atyant Shrestha, Dwitiya Shreni and Madhyammul. The Atyant Shrestha is considered as the first class mool. The mools of this class are Kharauray, Khauaray, Budhbaray, Mararay, Dariharay, Ghusautay, Tisautay, Karamhay, Naraunay, Vbhaniyamay, Hariyamme, Sarisavay and Sodarpuriye, etc. Similarly Dwitiya Shreni are the second class mool. The mools of the second class are Gangaulivaar, Pavaulivaar, Kujaulivaar, Alevaar, Vahirvaar, Sakrivaar, Palivaar, Visevaar, Fanevaar, Uchitvaar, Pandul-vaar, Kataivaar and Tilaivaar, etc. Similarly the third class mool is Madhyammul. The mools of the third class are Dighve, Belauche, Ekahre, Panchobhe, Valiyase, Jajiwal, Takwaal and Panduye, etc.^[1]

Description

According to the scholar Carolyn Henning Brown of Whitman College, the Mool is a spatial identity. It is a historical place related to the factual agnatic line descending from a known founder called as Viji Purush. It is known by the village of residence of the ancestral founding father known as Viji Purush.^[1] Indian scholar Abhaya Nath Mishra in his literary work Shrotriyas of Mithila mentioned that initially there were about 200 mools of the Maithil Brahmins but later many of them became extinct.^[2]